From the back cover of Henry Kissinger's Diplomacy book:
Dr. Kissinger is married to the former Nancy Maginnes and is the father of two children by a previous marriage.
What does "is married to the former Nancy Maginnes" mean? Is Maginnes Nancy's maiden name?
What is the purpose of the adjective "former" instead of simply "is married to Nancy Maginnes"? Can we use it for all cases where the wife doesn't update her last name to match her husband's name, or is the adjective "former" only used for special occasions, such as when the maiden name is linked to famous families / royalty / celebrities?
Best Answer
The "former" indicates that Nancy Maginnes used to be her name. Yes, that's her maiden name. No, the word "former" isn't limited to either special occasions or to people's names. Nancy Sharon Kissinger is still married to that former U.S. Secretary of State.
No, we would not use "the former Nancy Maginnes" if she had kept that name. Rather, she did update her name to match her husband's. That's why the word "former" works here.